The process of boring automotive cylinders in connection with their reconditioning by means of portable boring machines has been practised for many years. As presently performed, the process is accompanied by a certain amount of hazard to the operators, is somewhat cumbersome and presents problems in obtaining the proper position of the work.
The prior patent art as known to applicant is set forth below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,053,119 to Anderson discloses a stand upon which an engine block may be mounted on a cross-bar which in turn is supported on pedestals with means for rotating the engine about its horizontal axis permitting the boring machine to be centered over the cylinder to be bored by means of suitable gauges. This device is primarily adapted to permit angular positioning of the cylinder and does not include any of the devices incorporated in applicant's apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,486,813 to Yount teaches the use of a plurality of machines in parallel which in effect comprise a multiple spindle boring arrangement whereby several cylinders may be bored simultaneously. It likewise does not incorporate any novel devices for location of the boring machine over the cylinders to be bored.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,136 to Rottler discloses a boring machine and boring bar construction incorporating centering fingers for locating the bar in the cylinder and a counter-weight to improve the operation of its novel cutter construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,423 also to Rottler is a division of the other Rottler patent which teaches air operation and novel clamping means. U.S. Pat. No. 1,586,500 to Bacon, et al is limited to a cylinder boring tool with driving, feeding and securing mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,957 to Ray, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 2,669,135 to Moore, both teach a machine construction for moving a drilling mechanism in two dimensions for positioning over the work to be drilled. These constructions are for an entirely different purpose and in no way suggest the positioning mechanism of the applicant.
There is nothing in the prior art as known to applicant which suggests applicant's combination of holding and positioning the relation between an engine block and a portable boring machine.